The Dawson journal., 1887-02-03
A STRANGE ROMANCE.
The Story of the Doctor Who Coarted
and Did not Know it.

Atlanta Constitution.
DR.. Harden, as his nams shall
be for this occasion (now dead,
had but lately arrived in Ameri-
Gus, Ga, from Savannah. Being
agentleman of POLISHED address
he soon found admission to best
circles CT society, and at once be-
came indispensable at all social
gatherings. With the ladies' he
was a prime favorite. With one
in particulu~ he formed a close
friendship, for it developed that
he had fought in thu trenches with
her brother, and it was into his
arms that the wounded man fell
when he was staggered by the bull
let which caused his death.
One day Miss Julia, with her
widowed m other, went QUO on that
most important duty in woman's
llfe-the purchase of trosseau.
Society had petty we'll guessed
the course Of affairs. Congratula,
tons poured in upon the young
lady, all of which she accepted
with becoming modesty The
groom expactant, however, acted
mysteriou5ly. He never made re-
ference to the happy affair with
which his name was linked.
When a FREUD congratulated him
he looked puzzled, but offered no
invitation to proceed.
THUS weaks passed, until the
date popularity Supposed to have
been set for the npDtials hal gone
by. The doctor m Dvel abont the
city in his usual anconcarn. The
young lady held her grief and dis
appointment sacred, anil vantured
no word of censare or complaint.
In fact, the mystery became so
great that the question as to
whether tn cO1ola hal ever ham
engaged or not became one OF VIC
lent local a. .ation.
The soldier friends Of the young
lady's brother, feeling that she
was without male protection, de-
tecmined that she should not be
imposed upon. They met, to the
number of a dozen, late one even
ing, by the cotton warehouse Of
Harold & Johnson, and agreed to
call on tae doctor anl get an ex-
PLANTATION. They reached his
room, and were told he had gone
ont not five minutes before for a
walk, and would not be back un-
til after midnight. In order 60
fill in the time until that hour, the
party went to Miss Julia'S house
to consult her about the matter.
They were surprised to find the
doctor there, While near him sat
the young lady in tears.
One of the men, mqldened at
the doctors icy Indifference, rush
ed over to him and grasping him
by the shoulder, shook him VIC
lently. The doctor yawned deep
ly; he arose, and rubbed his eyes,
and, looking around him in the ut
most bewildarment, said:
"How came l here? This is so
very strange. | went to bsd in
my room at eight o'clock, and
thought until this moment that |
was still there"
He was somnambulist!
La the talk which followed the
whole matter was made plain. AZ
ter having visited Miss Julia
twice, he began coming at nine
o'clock. when he was not expected.
His manner was somewhat stiff
and formal, but he pressed his suit
with perseverance, to any other
subject. He never thought Of
leaving antil a few inmates before
one in the morning. His late hour
in coming, his late hour in leav-
ing, always seemed strange, but
as his behavior was always most
circamspect, it was not thought
of after the first few nights. Thus
be proposed, was accepted, had
the date appointed, and passed it
aver. La his waking hours he had
no recollection whatever of the
evants of the night before.
After the matter had thus been
made plain, the doctor said:
"Now, Miss Jnlia, since all this
has transpired in my sleep, I may